Stretching device



Aug. 31, 1943. J. LEWIS 2,328,474

STRETCHING DEVICE Filed June 7, 1941 Patented Aug. 31, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to stretching devices and more particularly to stretching devices for the covers of pressing or ironing boards for both commercial and domestic use.

In securing the covers to such pressing boards and particularly in connection with steam pressers such as used by tailors and in connection with which steam is used, it is important that the covers be securely held but with the maximum flexibility to permit the partial inflation which occurs during the operation and to assure the cover resuming and maintaining a constantly snug fit.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved and simplified gripper device for use in connection with such stretching apparatus which permits the application of the device with safety to the operator and the avoidance of dangerous wounds caused by the accidental slipping or giving way of the gripper in applying the same.

Further objects will more particularly appear in the course of the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combinations of parts hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

One sheet of drawings accompanies this specification as part thereof, in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout.

Figure 1 is a perspective view taken from beneath a conventional commercial pressing device showing the bottom side of the pressing board with the improved stretching device applied to the margin of the cover.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan of an assembled group of stretching units in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary, perspective view of an improved gripper member connected to a spring.

Referring to the drawing in which the construction and application of a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated, l indicates a presser board mounted on the pedestal 2 of a pressing machine, the board being covered with a cloth 3, the margins of which are turned in.

against the under face of the board and secured by the improved stretcher device.

The stretching device itself comprises a plurality of gripper members 6 connected to spiral springs 4, which spiral springs 4 are associated in groups and are in turn connected by other spiral springs as hereinafter described.

Each of the gripper members 8 is formed from a piece of wire bent upon itself medially to form a complete ring part 8 from which extend tangentially from the opposite ends of a common diameter two arms 1-1, the free ends of which are down-turned and sharpened to form prongs 9-9 lying in parallel planes.

A ring II is positioned on ring 8 and the ring II is connected by the hook in formed on the end of the spiral spring 4, thus providing a freely flexible connection between each gripper member and its spring. The ring part B of each gripper member is made sufficiently large to freely admit the finger of an operator so that when the stretching device is being applied and the springs are being stretched, the operator will have a finger securely engaged in the ring 8 of the particular gripper member being forced against the tension of the springs to engage the opposite margin of the cloth so that if accidentally the gripper member fails to securely engage the cloth, or for other reasons the operator should lose control of the device and the spring snap back suddenly, the operator's hand will be carried along with the engaged gripper and thus prevented from being lacerated by the prongs 9, such as would occur in all probability if the gripper member were not securely connected to the hand.

To secure the most efficient positioning of the cover on the board a plurality of gripper members, each associated with a spiral spring, are in turn grouped by means of rings I2 to form groups at each end of the board and smaller groups of two intermediate the ends of the board and these groups of springs and grippers are in turn associated by additional spiral springs which are connected through their hooks Ill and connecting rings II with the group rings l2, as is well illustrated in Figure 1.

By reason of the construction and arrangement of these members as thus described, it will be apparent that the gripper members when properly positioned on a. cover in accordance with the present invention are arranged in pairs subwithin the scope oi the present invention as claimed.

Heving thus fully described my invention, I oiaim:

Stretching device for an ironing board oover comprising an elongated member adapted to ex= tend longltudlnaib; in e'meziian position beneath an ironing board, a group of coil springs at each end of said elongated member, each spring freely linked at one end to said member, said springs of each group adapted to be divergently posi tioned beneath the ironing board and; stretched away from said longitudinal member, other springs freely linked at one end in opposed relation to said iongitudinai member at one or more eeoeeee minis in the ihei'eoi edenteci to be streteizefi owoy from eel-cl longitudinal mem= her, and, gripper members connected to the free ends of said springs, each gripper member comprising a ring adjacent the spring to which it is attached, oi e. size to admit the finger tip, parallel arms tangent to said ring on opposite $117185, adapted to extend in :5, direction away from the spring to which said gripper member is et= taohecl when in operetive position, the ends oi said arms being bent back toward. said ring at an acute angle to said arms in planes perpendicuier to the plane embracing the circumference of saizi ring oml terminating in sharpened points.

Jam LFYWS. 

